Suspened conveyer device comprising a re-routing station

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a suspended conveyer device for conveying supports ( 7 ) for goods to be conveyed along conveyer paths ( 54, 58 ), comprising a running rail arrangement with running rails ( 52, 56 ) which are associated with the conveyer paths and on which the supports ( 7 ) for goods to be conveyed can be guided. According to the invention, a rerouting station ( 50 ) is provided which is constructed to selectively reroute supports ( 7 ) for goods to be conveyed from a first conveyer path ( 54 ) to a second conveyer path ( 58 ) or to leave them on the first conveyer path ( 54 ), and to selectively reroute supports ( 7 ) for goods to be conveyed from the second conveyer path ( 58 ) to the first conveyer path ( 54 ) or to leave them on the second conveyer path ( 58 ) The invention also relates to a rerouting station of this type.

[0001] The invention relates to a suspended conveyer device forconveying supports for goods to be conveyed along conveyer paths,comprising a running rail arrangement with running rails which areassociated with the conveyer paths and on which the supports for goodsto be conveyed can be guided.

[0002] In this case, the primary thought is given to a suspendedconveyer device for conveying supports for goods to be conveyed which ineach case comprise a supporting element having two running rollers,projecting from the supporting element on opposite sides, to roll onrunning rails associated with the conveyer paths, running rails beingassigned to the conveyer paths and having a running roller guide groovewhich is open at the top to guide supports for goods to be conveyedwhich, in each case, as based on the conveying direction, are suspendedby a left or right running roller on the running rail, engage with thisrunning roller in the guide groove, and, with the supporting element,extend downward into a conveyer path clearance laterally beside therunning rail.

[0003] Suspended conveyer devices of the type mentioned above findwidespread use, for example in the clothing industry, and arepredominantly used there to transport articles of clothing suspended onclothes hangers. In this case, the supports for goods to be conveyedwhich are used are hanger supports, as they are known, having asupporting element which, at its lower end, has a hook area for thesuspension of a clothes hanger and, at its upper end, has a pair ofrunning rollers that project from the supporting element from oppositesides. The hanger supports are generally in each case suspended by onerunning roller on a running rail, it being possible for this runningroller to roll in a guided manner in a guide groove of the running railduring conveying operation. The supporting element of the hanger supportextends laterally downward beside the running rail into a conveyer pathclearance. In order to drive the hanger supports, a drive belt or thelike guided along the running rail is usually provided. In the case of africtional belt drive, the drive belt is a frictional belt which, forexample, as an endless belt, is driven in circulation around twodeflection stations and which can drive hanger supports along therespective running rail by friction. Suspended conveyer devices havingsuch frictional belt drives normally enable optional backup of a numberof supports for goods to be conveyed as the frictional belt continues torun. Such a suspended conveyer device with frictional belt drive isdescribed, for example, in EP 0 582 047 B1.

[0004] Suspended conveyer devices are also known in which the hangersupports are driven to move by means of a conveyer chain which is drivenin circulation around two deflection stations and is guided alongrelevant running rails.

[0005] In the case of the suspended conveyer devices mentioned above, acoherent running rail stream section (a coherent running rail path)normally runs from one deflection station of the relevant drive belt tothe next deflection station. The transfer of hanger supports from oneconveyer path section to another conveyer path section, or the removalof hanger supports from the respective conveyer path in the case of theknown suspended conveyer devices, is carried out at the deflectionstations by means of appropriate hanger support transfer devices onrotating deflection drums belonging to the deflection stations. Withreference to the prior art, reference is again made in this regard to EP0 582 047 B1.

[0006] German patent application 199 43 141 (filing date 09.09.1999)from the applicant describes a branching station or diverter for asuspended conveyer device of the type explained above, which permits theselective removal of supports for goods to be conveyed from a runningrail stream section of a first conveyer path, in order to supply theremoved supports for goods to be conveyed to a second conveyer path. Thebranching station therefore provides the possibility of selectivelyremoving supports for goods to be conveyed from a first conveyer pathand supplying them to a second conveyer path, that is to say—expressedin another way—selectively rerouting the supports for goods to beconveyed from the first conveyer path to a second conveyer path orleaving them on the first conveyer path. The branching station is notfunctionally bound to a deflection station for drive belts, but can alsobe connected to an approximately rectilinear course of the firstconveyer path. In addition to supplying the supports for goods to beconveyed to the diverter or branching station in such a conveyingdirection such that the diverter or branching station can be usedselectively for rerouting, the laid-open specification also considerssupplying the supports for goods to be conveyed to the diverter inconveying directions opposed thereto.

[0007] Furthermore, EP 0 926 083 A1 discloses a crossover for asuspended conveyer which permits a first and a second conveyer path tocross. Removal of the supports for goods to be conveyed from the firstor second conveyer path and supplying the removed supports for goods tobe conveyed to the other conveyer path is not possible in the case ofthe known crossover.

[0008] The object of the invention is to provide a possible way oftransferring supports for goods to be conveyed between a first conveyerpath and a second conveyer path, which provides high flexibility withregard to the guidance of streams of goods in the suspended conveyerdevice. In order to achieve this object, the invention proposes that thesuspended conveyer device has a rerouting station, which is constructedto selectively reroute supports for goods to be conveyed from a firstconveyer path to a second conveyer path or to leave them on the firstconveyer path, and to selectively reroute supports for goods to beconveyed from the second conveyer path to the first conveyer path or toleave them on the second conveyer path.

[0009] According to the invention, the rerouting station, which can alsobe referred to, if appropriate as a crossover diverter or X-diverter,permits both selective removal of supports for goods to be conveyed fromthe first conveyer path and the supply (the insertion) of the supportsfor goods to be conveyed to the second conveyer path (rerouting from thefirst conveyer path to the second conveyer path) and also the removal ofsupports for goods to be conveyed from the second conveyer path and thesupply (the insertion) of the removed supports for goods to be conveyedto the first conveyer path (rerouting of the supports for goods to beconveyed from the second conveyer path to the first conveyer path). Thefollowing streams of goods are therefore possible: supports for goods tobe conveyed supplied on the first conveyer path are rerouted to thesecond conveyer path, supports for goods to be conveyed supplied on thefirst conveyer path remain on the first conveyer path, supports forgoods to be conveyed supplied on the second conveyer path are reroutedto the first conveyer path, supports for goods to be conveyed suppliedon the second conveyer path remain on the second conveyer path.

[0010] By appropriate use of the rerouting station, it is, moreover,possible to combine, in the rerouting station, a first stream of goodssupplied to the rerouting station on the first conveyer path by usingsupports for goods to be conveyed, and a second stream of goods suppliedto the rerouting station on the second conveyer path by using supportsfor goods to be conveyed and, if appropriate, to mix said streams, andto carry the resultant stream of goods away from the rerouting stationon the first or the second conveyer path. Furthermore, by appropriateuse of the rerouting station, it is possible to distribute goods, whichare supplied to the rerouting station by using supports for goods to beconveyed via the first conveyer path and/or via the second conveyerpath, to two resultant streams of goods, by the goods supplied beingselectively allocated in the rerouting station to the first or thesecond conveyer path for further conveyance and, accordingly, carriedaway from the rerouting station via the first conveyer path or via thesecond conveyer path. In this way, for example, sorting tasks can besolved in a straightforward manner.

[0011] The examples mentioned make it clear that the rerouting stationaccording to the invention can advantageously be used for an extremelywide range of combining, mixing, distributing and sorting tasks inrelation to objects or goods that can be transported by means ofsupports for goods to be conveyed and, accordingly, provides throughgreat flexibility in the handling of supports for goods to be conveyedor the objects transported thereby. In this connection, it can also beextremely advantageous furthermore that, in the various applications ofthe rerouting station, at least in the regular case, the supports forgoods to be conveyed can maintain their conveying direction, that is tosay a reversal of the conveying direction is not required.

[0012] Mention should further be made of the fact that the above textrefers to a first conveyer path and a second conveyer path on which ineach case firstly supports for goods to be conveyed can be supplied tothe rerouting station and secondly the supplied supports for goods to beconveyed can be carried away from the rerouting station again. It istherefore assumed that the first and the second conveyer path leadthrough the rerouting station, the rerouting station selectivelyrerouting supports for goods to be conveyed between the first and thesecond conveyer path. However, it is also readily possible to speak of afirst, a second, a third and a fourth conveyer path of which twoconveyer paths are used to supply supports for goods to be conveyed tothe rerouting station and the other two conveyer paths are used to carrythe supports for goods to be conveyed supplied to the rerouting stationaway from the rerouting station. The rerouting station could then becharacterized, for example, in that it is designed to selectivelyreroute supports for goods to be conveyed from a first conveyer path,ending in the rerouting station, to a third conveyer path, beginning inthe rerouting station, or to a fourth conveyer path, beginning in thererouting station, and to selectively reroute supports for goods to beconveyed from a second conveyer path ending in the rerouting station, tothe third or the fourth conveyer path. In the following text, however,the nomenclature used first will be used, according to which a first anda second conveyer path are provided, in each case leading through thererouting station, it being possible for the supports for goods to beconveyed to be selectively rerouted between the first and the secondconveyer path or left on the respective conveyer path. The assignment ofthe conveyer path sections leading to the rerouting station and theconveyer path sections leading away from the rerouting station to thefirst and to the second conveyer path, respectively, is in principlearbitrary.

[0013] An expedient assignment may often be derived from theconfiguration of the suspended conveyer device, for example the guidanceof a drive belt or the like.

[0014] Mention has already been made of the possibility that theconveyer paths are in each case assigned at least one running rail whichhas a running roller guide groove which is open at the top to guidesupports for goods to be conveyed which, in each case, as based on theconveying direction, are suspended by a left or right running roller onthe running rail, engage with this running roller in the guide grooveand, with the supporting element, extend downward into a conveyer pathclearance laterally beside the running rail. In this case it may bethat, of the first and the second conveyer path, one, at least in someareas (but in any case in a path area located upstream of the reroutingstation in the conveying direction and in a path area located downstreamof the rerouting station in the conveying direction), is provided toguide supports for goods to be conveyed suspended on a relevant runningrail by the left running rollers, and the other, at least in some areas(but in any case in a path area located upstream of the reroutingstation in the conveying direction and in a path area located downstreamof the rerouting station in the conveying direction) is provided toguide supports for goods to be conveyed suspended on a relevant runningrail by the right running rollers. A rerouting station which is suitablefor such an application situation (according to an expedient assignmentof the conveyer path sections leading to the rerouting station andleading away from the rerouting station to the first and to the secondconveyer path) is distinguished by the fact that rerouting between thefirst and the second conveyer path provides for a change from suspensionof the supports for goods to be conveyed by the left running rollers ona relevant running rail to suspension of the supports for goods to beconveyed by the right running rollers on a relevant running rail or,respectively, a change from suspension of the supports for goods to beconveyed by the right running rollers on a relevant running rail tosuspension of the supports for goods to be conveyed by the left runningrollers on a relevant running rail.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the rerouting station thefirst conveyer path and the second conveyer path in the reroutingstation run over a decision path which is common to these conveyer pathsor a decision location which is common to these conveyer paths, it beingpossible for the supports for goods to be conveyed as they pass thedecision path or the decision location to be allocated selectively tothe first or the second conveyer path for further conveyance.

[0016] In the rerouting station, in the area of the decision location orwithin the decision path, the supports for goods to be conveyed may bein actual or potential guiding engagement and, if appropriate,supporting and running-roller rolling engagement both with a firstrunning rail path of the first conveyer path and with a second runningrail path of the second conveyer path, wherein, of the first and thesecond running rail path, one is a running rail path associated withleft running rollers and the other is a running rail path associatedwith right running rollers.

[0017] If a running rail path is mentioned here, this means an area orsection of a running rail or of a plurality of running rails followingone another in the conveying direction along the respective conveyerpath (if appropriate, the entire running rail or the running rail streamsection formed by the running rails), it being possible for therespective running rail to be formed in one or more parts, that is tosay for example by a single-part running rail component or a supportingprofile component and a running rail component mounted thereon. Ifmention is made here of potential guiding engagement as opposed toactual guiding engagement, this means that the two running rail paths inthe rerouting station can, if appropriate, also fulfill only thefunction of a drop-off safeguard or the like if the guidance of thesupports for goods to be conveyed is carried out, for example, by meansof a drive arrangement that holds the individual supports for goods tobe conveyed. As a rule, however, actual guiding engagement will beprovided, this preferably being direct engagement between the supportsfor goods to be conveyed and the running rail paths. However, there isalso the possibility that the guiding engagement is brought about byusing for instance the drive arrangement already mentioned which, forexample, comprises elongate driver elements, for example driver chains,guided in the running rail paths.

[0018] In order to permit rerouting between the conveyer paths withoutgreat mechanical outlay and without excessive rerouting forces, it ispreferred that in the rerouting station, in the area of the decisionlocation or within the decision path, in the case of a left runningroller, between the latter and the associated running rail path there isprovided no substantial guiding engagement or only such engagement whichis reduced as compared with other running rail paths, acting laterallyto the right, and in the case of a right running roller, between thelatter and the associated running rail path there is provided nosubstantial guiding engagement or only such engagement which is reducedas compared with other running rail paths, acting laterally to the left.According to a preferred configuration, this is achieved in that a railsection which bounds a guide groove laterally toward the conveyer pathclearance and belongs to the first running rail path, and a rail sectionwhich bounds a guide groove laterally toward the conveyer path clearanceand belongs to the second running rail path in each case have a cutoutwhich is open laterally to the left and right, respectively in the areaof the decision location or within the decision path.

[0019] As a particularly preferred possible configuration of thererouting station, it is proposed that the first running rail path andthe second running rail path run toward each other in a curve in thedirection of the decision path or the decision location and, in the areaof the decision path or the decision location, have a lateral spacingwhich leaves a common conveyer path clearance free. Such guidance of theconveyer paths is expedient in particular when the first and the secondconveyer path run parallel to each other in some areas.

[0020] In order to reroute the supports for goods to be conveyed betweenthe first and the second conveyer path, the rerouting station cancomprise at least one guide element for supports for goods to beconveyed which can be adjusted between a first and a second guideposition and which, in the first guide position, has an adjustable guideelement for supports for goods to be conveyed which, in the guideposition, leaves supports for goods to be conveyed supplied on the firstconveyer path on the latter and reroutes supports for goods to beconveyed supplied on the second conveyer path to the first conveyer pathand which, in the second guide position, leaves supports for goods to beconveyed supplied on the second conveyer path on the latter and reroutessupports for goods to be conveyed supplied on the first conveyer path tothe second conveyer path.

[0021] The guide element, which can be arranged above the decisionlocation or the decision path, for example, preferably has at least onerun-on inclined surface, onto which a respective positive guidancesection preferably formed by an upper end section of the supportingelement and belonging to the supports for goods to be conveyed runs andwhich guides the supports for goods to be conveyed positively in such away that the respective support for goods to be conveyed is conveyedonward along a specific conveyer path downstream of the decision pointor the decision path, along the first conveyer path in the case of thefirst guide position and along the second conveyer path in the case ofthe second guide position.

[0022] With regard to the configuration of the guide element, there arein principle many possibilities. For example, the guide element can havea body with a guide channel which is bounded laterally by run-oninclined surfaces and which comprises a receiving section which, both inthe first and in the second guide position, receives supports for goodsto be conveyed supplied both along the first and along the secondconveyer path, and a discharge section which, in the first guideposition, allocates the supports for goods to be conveyed in a definedway to the first conveyer path and, in the second guide position,allocates the supports for goods to be conveyed in a defined way to thesecond conveyer path and has a lateral width which is lower than thereceiving section. In this case, it can be advantageous if at least thereceiving section of the guide channel, preferably the entire guidechannel, increasingly narrows laterally in the conveying direction. Forexample, the receiving section or the guide channel could narrow in themanner of a funnel.

[0023] It has already been indicated that a drive arrangement can beprovided which comprises at least one elongate first driver element, ifappropriate a first driver chain, which is associated with the firstconveyer path and conveys the supports for goods to be conveyed throughthe rerouting station, and at least one elongate second driver element,if appropriate a second driver chain, which is associated with thesecond conveyer path and conveys the supports for goods to be conveyedthrough the rerouting station.

[0024] Primarily, when the rerouting station is constructed with adecision path which is common to the first and the second conveyer pathor a decision location which is common to these conveyer paths, it isexpedient for the supports for goods to be conveyed in the reroutingstation, at least in some areas, to be in driving engagement both withthe first driver element and with the second driver element, it beingexpedient in the case of the aforementioned construction of thererouting station with a common decision path or common decisionlocation for the supports for goods to be conveyed in each case to be indriving engagement with both driver elements, at least within thedecision path or in the area of the decision location.

[0025] The drive arrangement can be a drive arrangement which ensuresthat the supports for goods to be conveyed are conveyed in other pathsections of the first and second conveyer path as well, that is to sayfor example also upstream and downstream of the rerouting station.However, the aforementioned drive arrangement can also be a drivearrangement specifically associated with the rerouting station.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the suspended conveyerdevice comprises a main drive arrangement assigned to the first and thesecond conveyer path, and an additional drive arrangement assigned tothe rerouting station. The main drive arrangement can comprise at leastone elongate first main driver element, if appropriate a firstfrictional belt, that drives supports for goods to be conveyed along thefirst conveyer path, and at least one elongate second main driverelement, if appropriate a second frictional belt, which drives supportsfor goods to be conveyed along the second conveyer path. The additionaldrive arrangement can comprise at least one elongate first additionaldriver element, if appropriate a first driver chain, which is assignedto the first conveyer path and conveys the supports for goods to beconveyed through the rerouting station, and at least one elongate secondadditional driver element, if appropriate a second driver chain, whichis assigned to the second conveyer path and conveys the supports forgoods to be conveyed through the rerouting station.

[0027] It is pointed out that, in principle, it is possible to guide asingle driver element along a plurality of conveyer paths for thepurpose of driving the supports for goods to be conveyed. For thisreason, the term “elongate driver element” used here is also intended tocomprise the meaning “driver element section”.

[0028] The main drive arrangement is preferably designed to permitsupports for goods to be conveyed to back up when the drive of the maindriver elements is running (that is to say the driver elements arerunning). The additional drive arrangement is preferably designed toensure defined passage times for the supports for goods to be conveyedto pass through the rerouting station, it being possible, to achieve thedefined passage times, if appropriate to dispense with permitting thesupports for goods to be conveyed to back up when the driver element isrunning, the additional drive arrangement therefore not necessarilybeing capable of allowing a backup, as opposed to the preferred designof the main drive arrangement.

[0029] In order to couple the supports for goods to be conveyed to theadditional driver elements, the additional driver elements can carryengagement elements which, preferably above the running rollers, actwith a form fit or force fit on the supports for goods to be conveyedand produce a form-fitting or force-fitting driving engagement. Theengagement elements can engage in engagement cutouts in the supports forgoods to be conveyed, producing the driving engagement. In the case ofthe force-fitting driving engagement, the latter is preferably based onresilient reaction forces of the engagement elements deformedresiliently in the course of the production of the driving engagement orthe driving engagement is at least reinforced by the resilient reactionforces.

[0030] Depending on the design of the main drive arrangement, it may beexpedient for the main driver elements to be guided past the reroutingstation, for example in order to avoid problems with regard to theguidance of the frictional belts in the case of frictional belts and/orto reduce frictional forces between the frictional belts and elongatedof respective frictional belt guide to be overcome in order to drive thefrictional belts. In this connection, it is extremely expedient, if, inan inlet area of the rerouting station, a transfer station (possiblycomprising a separate first transfer station associated with the firstconveyer path and a separate second transfer station associated with thesecond conveyer path) is provided, in which the driving engagementbetween the supports for goods to be conveyed and the respective maindriver element is canceled and the driving engagement between thesupports for goods to be conveyed and the respective additional driverelement is produced. Furthermore, in this connection, it is extremelyexpedient if, in an outlet area of the rerouting station, a furthertransfer station (possibly comprising a separate first transfer stationassociated with the first conveyer path and a separate second transferstation associated with the second conveyer path) is provided, in whichthe driving engagement between the supports for goods to be conveyed andthe respective additional driver element is canceled and the drivingengagement between the supports for goods to be conveyed and therespective main driver element is produced.

[0031] It will regularly be expedient, in an inlet area of the reroutingstation, to provide a passage barrier associated with the first conveyerpath and/or a passage barrier associated with the second conveyer path,for the selective barring and releasing of the passage through thererouting station for the supports for goods to be conveyed. Therespective passage barrier preferably enables separation of the supportsfor goods to be conveyed, so that, for example, sorting tasks and goodsseparation tasks can be fulfilled by means of the rerouting station.

[0032] For many possible uses, for example, the aforementioned sortingtasks, it is extremely expedient if, in an inlet area or in the inletarea of the rerouting station, an identification arrangement forsupports for goods to be conveyed, associated with the first conveyerpath, if appropriate a barcode reading arrangement, and/or anidentification arrangement for supports for goods to be conveyed,associated with the second conveyer path, if appropriate a barcodereading arrangement, is/are provided. In this connection, it isparticularly expedient if the rerouting station can be actuated on thebasis of identifications of supports for goods to be conveyed by meansof the identification arrangement for supports for goods to be conveyedor identification arrangements for supports for goods to be conveyed.Actuation of the rerouting station can comprise actuation of the passagebarrier or of the passage barriers and/or actuation of the guide elementfor supports for goods to be conveyed.

[0033] For high operational reliability, it is often expedient, at leastin the area of the rerouting station, to provide a drop-off safeguard,which prevents the supports for goods to be conveyed dropping off arelevant running rail path. This is because, depending on the design ofthe running rail path, under certain circumstances there could be therisk of the supports for goods to be conveyed dropping off the runningrail path, for example under the action of centrifugal forces and/or inthe course of the release and/or production of a driving engagement withan associated driver element. The drop-off safeguard can advantageouslycomprise at least one safety rail running along the running rail path ata defined distance from the latter.

[0034] The invention relates further to a rerouting station for asuspended conveyer device as described above. According to theinvention, the rerouting station is designed to selectively reroutesupports for goods to be conveyed in a first conveyer path to a secondconveyer path or to leave them on the first conveyer path, and toselectively reroute supports for goods to be conveyed from the secondconveyer path to the first conveyer path or to leave them on the secondconveyer path. In general terms, the rerouting station can beconstructed in accordance with the rerouting station previouslydescribed and belonging to the suspended conveyer device according tothe invention.

[0035] The invention relates further to a method of combining and, ifappropriate, mixing at least two streams of goods by using a suspendedconveyer device according to the invention or a rerouting stationaccording to the invention. It is proposed that a first stream of goodsbe supplied to the rerouting station on a/the first conveyer path, and asecond stream of goods be supplied to the rerouting station on a/thesecond conveyer path, the streams of goods be combined, and, ifappropriate, mixed in the rerouting station, and the resultant stream ofgoods be carried away from the rerouting station on the first or thesecond conveyer path.

[0036] The invention relates further to a method of distributing thegoods from at least one stream of goods to at least two resultantstreams of goods, using a suspended conveyer device according to theinvention or a rerouting station according to the invention. It isproposed that, on at least one conveyer path (a/the first conveyer pathand/or a/the second conveyer path), at least one stream of goods besupplied to the rerouting station and, in the rerouting station, thegoods be selectively allocated to the first or the second conveyer pathfor further conveyance and, accordingly, be carried away from thererouting station on the first conveyer path as a first resultant streamof goods and on the second conveyer path as a second resultant stream ofgoods. The goods from at least two streams of goods are preferablydistributed to at least two resultant streams of goods, a first streamof goods being supplied to the rerouting station on the first conveyerpath, and a second stream of goods being supplied to the reroutingstation on the second conveyer path.

[0037] The invention will be explained in more detail below usingexemplary embodiments that are illustrated in the figures, in which:

[0038]FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a section, shownbroken, of a running rail of a suspended conveyer device having adeflection station and having a support for goods to be conveyed guidedin a manner suspended on one side on the running rail.

[0039]FIG. 2 shows a plan view (substantially corresponding to a sectionalong line II-II in FIG. 5) of an exemplary embodiment of a reroutingstation according to the invention belonging to the suspended conveyerdevice, which permits supports for goods to be conveyed to be reroutedbetween a first conveyer path leading through the rerouting station anda second conveyer path leading through the rerouting station.

[0040]FIG. 3 shows a representation of the rerouting station,substantially corresponding to a partial section through the arrangementof FIG. 2 along line III-III in FIG. 2.

[0041]FIG. 4 shows a detailed enlargement of the representation of FIG.3.

[0042]FIG. 5 shows a section through the arrangement of FIG. 2 alongline V-V in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 showing a central area of the reroutingstation, adjoining the representation of FIG. 3 on the right.

[0043]FIG. 6 shows a section through a running rail path of thererouting station in a conveyer path area, in which a driving engagementis produced between a respective support for goods to be conveyed and adriver chain of the rerouting station.

[0044]FIGS. 7, 8 show two possible positions of a guide element forsupports for goods to be conveyed, belonging to the rerouting station,for allocating the supports for goods to be conveyed either to the firstor to the second conveyer path for further conveyance.

[0045]FIG. 9 shows a curved running rail belonging to the reroutingstation.

[0046] A rerouting station according to the invention can, for example,be integrated into a suspended conveyer device, as shown in an extractin FIG. 1. The suspended conveyer device shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed byEP 0 582 047 B1. It comprises a first conveying circuit 1 in the form ofan elongate conveyer loop comprising deflection drums 3 and comprisingrunning rails 5 in the rectilinear path areas between the deflectiondrums 3. Of the conveying circuit 1, FIG. 1 illustrates only thedeflection drum 3 located on the right, in relation to the direction ofview, and the running rail 5 located at the front, in relation to thedirection of view. The conveying circuit 1 has a further deflection drumon the side opposite the deflection drum 3 on the left, and a further,corresponding running rail at the rear of the running rail 5.

[0047] The supports 7 for goods to be conveyed which have to betransported are, in the example, so-called hanger supports for thetransport of articles of clothing suspended on clothes hangers. As canbe seen in FIG. 1, the support 7 for goods to be conveyed has a hook 13at its lower end. The hook of a clothes hanger can be hooked into thishook 13. The support for goods to be conveyed has a substantiallyvertically aligned supporting element 15 having two running rollers 17projecting on the mutually opposite lateral sides of the supportingelement 15. During the movement along a running rail 5, the support 7for goods to be conveyed is in each case supported by a running roller17 on a running surface of a guide groove 19 which is open at the topand belongs to the running rail 5, so that it is attached laterally tothe running rail and guided in the longitudinal direction of the runningrail 5. Underneath the running rollers 17, in each case a lateralprotrusion with an outer frictional surface 22 is provided on thesupporting element 15. In FIG. 1, one of the protrusions rests with itsfrictional surface 22 on the frictional belt 9, which is guidedfrictionally in the longitudinal direction of the running rail 5 bymeans of the guide 24, so that the frictional belt 9 carries along thesupport 7 for goods to be conveyed in order to move it along the runningrail 5.

[0048] The running rail 5 illustrated in broken form in FIG. 1 isbrought up with its right-hand end close to the deflection drum 3, sothat the conveyer flange identified by 26 on the deflection drum 3 canengage in the lateral groove 28 of a support for goods to be conveyedthat is directly approaching the deflection drum 3, in order to pick upthe support 7 for goods to be conveyed from the running rail 5. Here,the support 7 for goods to be conveyed rests with a roof-like web 30bounding the groove 28 at the top on the upper side of the conveyerflange 26. The support 7 for goods to be conveyed is then deflected inaccordance with the rotation of the deflection drum 3. A curved rail notspecifically explained here and arranged in a fixed location engagesbehind the upper end section of the support 7 for goods to be conveyedduring the deflection movement, in order to secure the support for goodsto be conveyed against slipping radially off the conveyer web 26.According to FIG. 1, a support 7 for goods to be conveyed picked up bythe deflection drum 3 can be-transferred selectively to a secondconveying circuit 32 which, in principle, can be constructed in the sameway as the first conveying circuit 1.

[0049] In a suspended conveyer device of the type shown in FIG. 1, thepresent invention provides a possible way of transferring the support 7for goods to be conveyed from one conveyer path to another conveyerpath, without having to fall back on deflection drums 3 or the like forthis purpose. Specifically, the invention provides the possibility ofproviding a transfer between conveyer paths running parallel to oneanother. For example, the rerouting station according to the invention,described in more detail below, can be integrated, for example, into therectilinear area of the running rail 5 that is illustrated in FIG. 1, inorder to remove supports 7 for goods to be conveyed from the runningrail 5 as required and to supply said supports to a running rail runningparallel thereto and belonging to another conveying circuit of thesuspended conveyer device, that is to say to introduce the supports forgoods to be conveyed onto this running rail of the other conveyingcircuit. It is expediently possible to speak of rerouting the supportsfor goods to be conveyed from one conveyer path to the other conveyerpath, according to the invention (selective) rerouting in bothdirections being possible, that is to say from the first conveyer pathto the second conveyer path or, conversely, from the second conveyerpath to the first conveyer path.

[0050]FIG. 2 is a plan view (corresponding to section II-II in FIG. 5)of an exemplary embodiment of a rerouting station 50 of this type. It ispossible to see two running rail paths 52 and 56, which are used for theconveyance of supports 7 for goods to be conveyed and of which, forexample, the running rail path 52 belongs to a first conveyer path 54and the second running rail path 56 belongs to a second conveyer path58. The two conveyer paths can, for example, belong to differentconveying circuits, each comprising at least two deflection drums.

[0051] The running rail paths 52 and 56 first run parallel to each otherin the conveying direction, then run toward each other in a curve in thearea of the rerouting station 50, and then run away from each otheragain in a curve from a point of maximum lateral approach, until theychange again into path sections of the running rail paths 52 and 56which run parallel to one another.

[0052] Both the rectilinear running path sections and the curved runningrail sections can be formed by appropriately designed running railcomponents 60, 62, 64 or 66, which can be fitted to associatedload-bearing profiles or other mountings, for example, can be hooked inby means of sections of the running rail components which have hook-likecross sections. Reference is made to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, theload-bearing profiles carrying the running rail components 60 and 62 notbeing illustrated in FIG. 5. A curved running rail component 60 or 62,which could be part of the curved section of the running rail path 52 or56, is shown in FIG. 9.

[0053] With regard to the structural stability of the suspended conveyerdevice, and to satisfactory guidance of the frictional belts of the twoconveyer paths, the running rails are designed to be intrinsicallycontinuously rectilinear in the area of the deflection station.Corresponding rectilinear running rail sections 70 and 72 can be seen inFIG. 2. However, curved running rail components together withappropriate load-bearing profiles are integrated into the running railstream, designed continuously in one piece or many pieces, of the firstand second conveyer path, respectively, and are connected to therectilinear running rail sections in such a way that supports 7 forgoods to be conveyed coming from the bottom in FIG. 2 change to therespective curved running rail path section, so that no supports forgoods to be conveyed are guided via the running rail paths 70 and 72which, to a certain extent, bypass the rerouting station 50. Thefrictional belt 80 serving to convey the supports for goods to beconveyed along the first conveyer path 54, and a correspondingfrictional belt serving to convey the supports for goods to be conveyedalong the second conveyer path 58 do not, however, follow the curvedrunning rail path sections but run in a frictional belt guide 82 whichis snapped into the relevant running rail component (running railcomponent 66 in FIG. 4) belonging to the “bypass running rail path” 70or 72.

[0054] To convey the supports 7 for goods to be conveyed through thererouting station 50, use is made of a separate drive arrangement,comprising a driver chain 92 guided as an endless chain and drivable bymeans of a drive motor 90, and a driver chain 96 guided as an endlesschain and drivable by means of a drive motor 94. The two driver chains92 and 96 are in each case guided in a chain guide 98 and 100,respectively, which can, for example, be integrated into load-bearingprofiles holding the running rail components 60, 62 or fitted to saidprofiles.

[0055] The driver chains 92 and 96 each have engagement elements 102which are fitted to a respective chain segment at defined intervals,engage in the groove 28 (cf. FIG. 1) bounded at the top by the roof-likeweb 30 (cf. FIG. 1) and carry the relevant support 7 for goods to beconveyed along the running rail path in accordance with the movement ofthe driver chain 92 or 96. According to the illustration in FIG. 5 andFIG. 6, the engagement elements 102 can be designed with a resilientengagement section, which has been or is clamped in the groove 28against resilient restoring forces of the respective engagement sectionand, accordingly, ensures reliable force-fitting coupling of therelevant driver chain, on the one hand, and the relevant support forgoods to be conveyed, on the other hand. Instead of a resilientconfiguration of the engagement elements, thought could also be given tothe latter engaging with a form fit in associated recesses in thesupports for goods to be conveyed and carrying the latter along with aform fit.

[0056] According to the illustrations in FIGS. 5 and 6, as they arecarried along by the relevant driver chain 92 or 96, the supports 7 forgoods to be conveyed can be guided on the running rail components(reference symbols 60, 62 in FIG. 5; reference symbol 64 in FIG. 6) inthe manner explained above with reference to FIG. 1, namely with rollingengagement of the running roller 17 associated with the running railpath in the guide groove 19 of the running rail path, the conicalconfiguration of the running rollers 17 and the running surface 20 (FIG.6), which is designed with an inclined cross section and bounds theguide groove 19 ensuring reliable lateral guidance of the supports 7 forgoods to be conveyed. In principle, however, it is also possible for theguidance of the supports for goods to be conveyed to be provided merelyby the driver chains and their engagement elements 102 and, for example,for the supports for goods to be conveyed to be lifted easily off therelevant running rail component.

[0057] The engagement between the engagement elements of the relevantdriver chain 92 and 96 and the supports for goods to be conveyed isproduced positively by the fact that the supports for goods to beconveyed move into a transfer area of the relevant conveyer path underthe driving action of the relevant frictional belt, in that theyapproach the support 7 for goods to be conveyed laterally from the sideof engagement elements 102 approaching the support for goods to beconveyed and engage in the respective groove 28, if necessary withresilient bending of the engagement section. Since, in this area of theconveyer path, forces acting in the lateral direction on the supportsfor goods to be conveyed occur or can occur, it is expedient to providea drop-off safeguard that prevents the supports for goods to be conveyeddropping off the respective running rail path, for example in the formof a safety rail 110 (FIG. 6), which runs along the relevant conveyerpath and can be held by load-bearing brackets 112 or the like. Acorresponding drop-off safeguard is also expedient at least in thoseareas of the conveyer paths in which centrifugal forces acting on thesupports for goods to be conveyed can occur, which could allow thesupports for goods to be conveyed to drop off the running rail paths. InFIG. 2, dashed lines mark those running rail path sections in which itwould be particularly expedient to take appropriate drop-off safeguardmeasures to prevent the supports for goods to be conveyed dropping offthe relevant running rail.

[0058] In the embodiment shown in the figures, in the inlet area of thererouting station 50, there is provided a passage barrier 120 associatedwith the first conveyer path and a passage barrier 122 associated withthe second conveyer path 58, which is used for the purpose ofselectively letting through supports 7 for goods to be conveyed in thedirection of the arrow (arrow R) or holding them back counter to theconveying action of the frictional belt, if appropriate whilst backingup a plurality of supports for goods to be conveyed. The passagebarriers are constructed in such a way that they can let throughindividual supports for goods to be conveyed in a defined manner so thatseparation of any supports for goods to be conveyed that have backed upis possible. Upstream, that is to say upstream of the passage barriersin the conveying direction, in each case a barcode reading arrangement124 or 126 is provided which, by using barcodes fitted under thefrictional surfaces 22, is able to identify the individual supports forgoods to be conveyed or the goods conveyed by said supports. The passagebarriers 120, 122 can preferably be actuated on the basis of theidentifications of the supports for goods to be conveyed obtained by thebarcode reading arrangements 124, 126, for example, in order to carryout sorting tasks or the like.

[0059] With regard to the functioning and the construction of thererouting station 50 in detail: the curved running rail path sectionsare guided in such a way that, in the area of the closest approach ofthe two running rail paths 52, 56, only one support 7 for goods to beconveyed still passes between the two running rail components 60 and 62,specifically only in such a way that both running rollers 17 come intoengagement with the two running rail components 60 and 62 or run abovethe running rail components in the manner shown in FIG. 5. For thispurpose, the running rail components each have a cutout 130 in a railsection 132 which bounds the guide groove 19 toward the support forgoods to be conveyed, has the running surface 20 (cf. FIG. 4) andpermits lateral relative movement of the support 7 for goods to beconveyed relative to the running rail component of the other conveyerpath or relative to the running rail component of the original conveyerpath, in order to be able to produce the previously free running roller17 with the running rail component of this other conveyer path or to beable to selectively release the engagement between the left runningroller and the left building rail component or between the right runningroller and the right running rail component, so that, followingallocation to one of the two conveyer paths, the support 7 for goods tobe conveyed is conveyed onward either on the first or on the secondconveyer path. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the two conveyer paths withinthe rerouting station run over a common path section formed by bothrunning rail components 60 and 62, in which the left and the rightrunning roller 17 roll on the respectively associated running rail pathor are moved onward above the latter, and in which both driver chains 92and 96 are engaged via a respective engagement element 102 with arespective support 7 for goods to be conveyed which is located withinthe common path section. The supports for goods to be conveyed which aresupplied to the rerouting station 50 via the two conveyer paths aretherefore combined within the rerouting station 50, it making nodifference to the support 7 for goods to be conveyed, following thecombination, whether it was supplied to the rerouting station via thefirst conveyer path or via the second conveyer path.

[0060] In order to allocate a respective support 7 for goods to beconveyed, moving within the common path section under the action of thedriver chains 92, 96, either to the first or to the second conveyer pathfor further conveyance, a guide element 142 which can be pivoted bymeans of a pivoting drive 140, for example a double-acting pneumaticcylinder 140, is pivotably mounted above the common path section, saidelement having a guide channel 144 which is open at the bottom and inand counter to the conveying direction and accommodates a positive guidepin or positive guide web 146 which projects upward from the supportingelement 15, slides along on lateral oblique surfaces of the guideelement 142, bounding the guide channel 144, and ensures that thesupport for goods to be conveyed is guided either in accordance with thecourse of the running rail path 52 or the running rail path 56, so that,after the positive guide web 146 or the positive guide pin 146 hasemerged from the guide channel 144, the support for goods to be conveyedis conveyed onward, either along the first conveyer path 54 or along thesecond conveyer path 58. In this regard, reference is made to FIGS. 7and 8, which show the guide element 142 in a first guide position (FIG.7) and in a second guide position (FIG. 8), the supports 7 for goods tobe conveyed being assigned to the first conveyer path 54 in the case ofthe first guide position, and the supports 7 for goods to be conveyedbeing assigned to the second conveyer path 58 for further conveyance inthe case of the second guide position. This applies irrespective of theconveyer path on which the supports 7 for goods to be conveyed aresupplied to the guide element 142. This is because the guide channel 144has a receiving section 150 with a lateral width such that both supports7 for goods to be conveyed supplied on the first conveyer path 54 andsupports for goods to be conveyed supplied on the second conveyer path58 enter the guide channel 144 in both guide positions. The lateralwidth of the guide channel 144 decreases continuously and ends in adischarge section 151 which, depending on the guide position, allocatesthe supports for goods to be conveyed in a defined manner either to thefirst or to the second conveyer path for further conveyance. The trackswhich the positive guide pins or webs 146 follow through the reroutingstation 50 are shown dash-dotted in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. It can be seenthat the relevant track of the first and of the second guide path,respectively, runs through the center of the discharge section 151 ofthe guide element 142 arranged in the appropriate guide position.

[0061] In order to provide goods sorting and distribution tasks, theguide element 142 can be actuated by means of the drive 140, preferablyon the basis of the identification results of the barcode readingarrangements 124, 126, preferably in synchronism with actuation of thepassage barriers 120, 122. The synchronization can be carried out in astraightforward manner on the basis of signals from detectors 152, 153for supports for goods to be conveyed, said detectors indicating that asupport 7 for goods to be conveyed has emerged from the guide channel144 and has been allocated either to the first or to the second conveyerpath for further conveyance.

[0062] As can be seen in the figures, the suspended conveyer device usedas an example, has various further components, whose purpose andconfiguration can be seen from the figures by those skilled in the artor are without specific importance for the invention. For example,various load-bearing profiles and other load-bearing elements can beseen, on which the various components of the two conveyer paths and ofthe rerouting station are suspended.

[0063] With reference to FIG. 5, mention should be further made of thefact that the guide element 142 is illustrated partly sectioned, anunsectioned central section of the guide element representing a view ofthe guide element 142 in the conveying direction, an upper sectionedsection representing a section in a section plane in which the pivotingdrive 140 acts on the guide element 142, and a lower, sectioned sectionrepresenting a section plane which corresponds to the section line V-Vin FIG. 2 or being located shortly upstream of the latter in theconveying direction. This section plane is also based on the sectionedarea of the support 7 for goods to be conveyed in FIG. 5, from which itcan be seen that the support 7 for goods to be conveyed is arrangedsubstantially symmetrically with respect to a vertical center line M.Accordingly, the positive guide pin or web 146 rests on a right-handinclined surface of the guide element 142, bounding the guide channel144. FIG. 5 further reveals that the guide element 142 isinstantaneously arranged in the first guide position, in which it isallocated to the support 7 for goods to be conveyed belonging to thefirst conveyer path 54.

[0064] It is further pointed out that, instead of the chain drive 92, 96belonging to the rerouting station and driving the supports for goods tobe conveyed, said station can also have a different type of drive forthe supports for goods to be conveyed, for example comprising at leastone frictional belt. Mention should also be made of the fact that thedrive can, in principle, act at any desired point on the supports forgoods to be conveyed, in order to carry the latter with it.

[0065] Completely different designs of the rerouting station are alsopossible in order to provide the aforementioned functionalities. Forexample, the rerouting station can be constructed by using branchingstations or diverters of the type described in the German application199 43 141.

1. A suspended conveyer device for conveying supports (7) for goods tobe conveyed along conveyer paths (54, 58), comprising a running railarrangement (52, 56) with running rails (52, 56) which are associatedwith the conveyer paths and on which the supports (7) for goods to beconveyed can be guided, whereby the supports (7) for goods to beconveyed in each case comprise a supporting element (15) having tworunning rollers (17), projecting from the supporting element on oppositesides, to roll on running rails (52, 56) associated with the conveyerpaths (54, 58), whereby in each case at least one running rail (52 or,respectively, 56) is assigned to the conveyer paths and has a runningroller guide groove (19) which is open at the top to guide supports forgoods to be conveyed which, in each case, as based on the conveyingdirection, are suspended by a left or right running roller (17) on therunning rail, engage with this running roller in the guide groove, and,with the supporting element (15), extend downward into a conveyer pathclearance laterally beside the running rail, whereby a rerouting station(50) is provided, which is constructed to selectively reroute supports(7) for goods to be conveyed from a first conveyer path (54) to a secondconveyer path (58) or to leave them on the first conveyer path (54), andto selectively reroute supports (7) for goods to be conveyed from thesecond conveyer path (58) to the first conveyer path (54) or to leavethem on the second conveyer path (58), whereby rerouting between thefirst (54) and the second (58) conveyer path provides for a change fromsuspension of the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed by the leftsuspension of the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed by the rightrunning rollers (17) on a relevant running rail or, respectively, achange from suspension of the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed bythe right running rollers (17) on a relevant running rail to suspensionof the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed by the left running rollers(17) on a relevant running rail, whereby the first conveyer path (54)comprises a first running rail path (60) leading continuously throughthe rerouting station (50), and the second conveyer path (58) comprisesa second running rail path (62) leading continuously through thererouting station (50), whereby, of the first and the second runningrail path, one (60) is a running rail path associated with left runningrollers (17) and the other (62) is a running rail path associated withright running rollers (17), characterized in that the first conveyerpath (54) and the second conveyer path (58) in the rerouting station(50) run over a decision path which is common to these conveyer pathsand is associated with the first and the second running rail path or adecision location which is common to these conveyer paths and isassociated with the first and the second running rail path (FIG. 5), inthat in the rerouting station (50), in the area of the decision locationor within the decision path, the supports for goods to be conveyed arein actual or potential guiding engagement and, possibly, supporting andrunning-roller rolling engagement both with a first running rail path(60) of the first conveyer path (54) and with a second running rail path(62) of the second conveyer path (58), in that, as they pass thedecision path or the decision location, the supports for goods to beconveyed can be selectively allocated to the first (54) or the second(58) conveyer path for the further conveyance, and in that the firstrunning path (52) and the second running rail path (56) run toward eachother in a curved shape in the direction of the decision path or thedecision location and, in the area of the decision path or the decisionlocation, have a lateral spacing which leaves a common conveyer pathclearance free.
 2. The suspended conveyer device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that of the first and the second conveyer path, one(54), at least in some areas but in any case in a path area locatedupstream of the rerouting station (50) in the conveying direction and ina path area located downstream of the rerouting station (50) in theconveying direction, is provided to guide supports (7) for goods to beconveyed suspended on a relevant running rail by the left runningrollers (17), and the other (58), at least in some section but in anycase in a path area located upstream of the rerouting station (50) inthe conveying direction and in a path area located downstream of thererouting station (50) in the conveying direction, is provided to guidesupports (7) for goods to be conveyed suspended on a relevant runningrail by the right running rollers (17).
 3. The suspended conveyer deviceas claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the reroutingstation (50), in the area of the decision location or within thedecision path, in the case of a left running roller (17), between thelatter and the associated running rail path (60) there is provided nosubstantial guiding arrangement or only such engagement which is reducedas compared with other running rail paths, acting laterally to theright, and in the case of a right running roller (17), between thelatter and the associated running rail path (62) there is provided nosubstantial guiding arrangement or only such engagement which is reducedas compared with other running rail paths, acting laterally to the left.4. The suspended conveyer device as claimed in claim 3, characterized inthat a rail section (132) which bounds a guide groove (19) laterallytoward the conveyer path clearance and belongs to the first running railpath (52), and a rail section which bounds a guide groove (19) laterallytoward the conveyer path clearance and belongs to the second runningrail path in each case have a cutout (130) which is open laterally tothe left and right, respectively in the area of the decision location orwithin the decision path.
 5. The suspended conveyer device as claimed inone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first (54) and thesecond (58) conveyer path run parallel to each other in some areas. 6.The suspended conveyer device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5,characterized in that the rerouting station comprises at least one guideelement (142) for supports for goods to be conveyed which can beadjusted between a first (FIG. 7) and a second (FIG. 8) guide positionand which, in the first guide position, leaves supports (7) for goods tobe conveyed supplied on the first conveyer path (54) on the latter andreroutes supports (7) for goods to be conveyed supplied on the secondconveyer path (58) to the first conveyer path (58) and which, in thesecond guide position, leaves supports (7) for goods to be conveyedsupplied on the second conveyer path (58) on the latter and reroutessupports for goods to be conveyed supplied on the first conveyer path(54) to the second conveyer path (58).
 7. The suspended conveyer deviceas claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the guide element (142),preferably arranged above the decision location or the decision path,has at least one run-on inclined surface, onto which a respectivepositive guidance section (146) preferably formed by an upper endsection of the supporting element and belonging to the supports (7) forgoods to be conveyed runs and which guides the supports for goods to beconveyed positively in such a way that the respective support (7) forgoods to be conveyed is conveyed onward along a specific conveyer pathdownstream of the decision point or the decision path, along the firstconveyer path (54) in the case of the first guide position and along thesecond conveyer path (58) in the case of the second guide position. 8.The suspended conveyer device as claimed in claim 7, characterized inthat the guide element (142) has a body with a guide channel (144) whichis bounded laterally by run-on inclined surfaces and which comprises areceiving section (150) which, both in the first and in the second guideposition, receives supports for goods to be conveyed supplied both alongthe first (54) and along the second (58) conveyer path, and a dischargesection (151) which, in the first guide position, allocates the supportsfor goods to be conveyed in a defined way to the first conveyer path(54) and, in the second guide position, allocates the supports for goodsto be conveyed in a defined way to the second conveyer path (58) and hasa lateral width which is lower than the receiving section (150).
 9. Thesuspended conveyer device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in thatat least the receiving section (150) of the guide channel (144),preferably the entire guide channel (144), increasingly narrowslaterally in the conveying direction, if desired, narrows in the mannerof a funnel.
 10. The suspended conveyer device as claimed in one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that a drive arrangement (90, 92, 94,96) is provided which comprises at least one elongate first driverelement (92), if appropriate a first driver chain (92), which isassociated with the first conveyer path (54) and conveys the supports(7) for goods to be conveyed through the rerouting station (50), and atleast one elongate second driver element (96), if appropriate a seconddriver chain (96), which is associated with the second conveyer path(58) and conveys the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed through thererouting station (50).
 11. The suspended conveyer device as claimed inclaim 10, characterized in that in the rerouting station (50), thesupports (7) for goods to be conveyed are, at least in some areas, indriving engagement both with the first driver element (92) and with thesecond driver element (96).
 12. The suspended conveyer device as claimedin claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a main drive arrangement (80,82) assigned to the first and the second conveyer path (54, 58), and anadditional drive arrangement (90, 92, 94, 96) assigned to the reroutingstation are provided, the main drive arrangement (80, 82) comprising atleast one elongate first main driver element (80), if appropriate afirst frictional belt (80), that drives supports (7) for goods to beconveyed along the first conveyer path (54), and at least one elongatesecond main driver element, if appropriate a second frictional belt,which drives supports for goods to be conveyed along the second conveyerpath (58), and the additional drive arrangment (90, 92, 94, 96)comprising at least one elongate first additional driver element (92),if appropriate a first driver chain (92), which is assigned to the firstconveyer path (54) and conveys the supports (7) for goods to be conveyedthrough the rerouting station (50), and at least one elongate secondadditional driver element (96), if appropriate a second driver chain(96), which is assigned to the second conveyer path (58) and conveys thesupports (7) for goods to be conveyed through the rerouting station(50).
 13. The suspended conveyer device as claimed in claim 12,characterized in that the main drive arrangement (80, 82) is designed topermit supports (7) for goods to be conveyed to back up when the driveof the main driver elements (80) is running, and in that the additionaldrive arrangement (90, 92, 94, 96) is designed to ensure defined passagetimes for the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed to pass through thererouting station (50).
 14. The suspended conveyer device as claimed inclaim 12 or 13, characterized in that the additional driver elements(92, 96) carry engagement elements (102) which, preferably above therunning rollers (17), act with a form fit or force fit on the supports(7) for goods to be conveyed in order to produce a form-fitting orforce-fitting driving engagement, the engagement elements (102)preferably engaging in engagement cutouts (28) in the supports (7) forgoods to be conveyed, producing the driving engagement, wherein, in thecase of the force-fitting driving engagement, the latter is preferablybased on resilient reaction forces of the engagement elements (102)deformed resiliently in the course of the production of the drivingengagement, or is reinforced by the resilient reaction forces.
 15. Thesuspended conveyer device as claimed in one of claims 12 to 14,characterized in that the main driver elements (80) are guided past thererouting station (50), in that, in an inlet area of the reroutingstation, a transfer station is provided, in which the driving engagementbetween the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed and the respectivemain driver element (80) is canceled and the driving engagement betweenthe supports (7) for goods to be conveyed and the respective additionaldriver element (92 or 96) is produced and in that, in an outlet area ofthe rerouting station, a further transfer station is provided, in whichthe driving engagement between the supports (7) for goods to be conveyedand the respective additional driver element (92 or 96) is canceled andthe driving engagement between the supports (7) for goods to be conveyedand the respective main driver element (80) is produced.
 16. Thesuspended conveyer device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15,characterized in that, in an inlet area of the rerouting station (50),there is provided a passage barrier (50) associated with the firstconveyer path (54) and/or a passage barrier (122) associated with thesecond conveyer path (58), for the selective barring and releasing ofthe passage through the rerouting station (50) for the supports (7) forgoods to be conveyed, the passage barrier (122) preferably enablingseparation of the supports (7) for goods to be conveyed.
 17. Thesuspended conveyer device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 16,characterized in that, in an inlet area or in the inlet area of thererouting station (50), there is provided an identification arrangement(124) for supports for goods to be conveyed, associated with the firstconveyer path (54), if appropriate a barcode reading arrangement (124),and/or an identification arrangement (126) for supports for goods to beconveyed, associated with the second conveyer path (58), if appropriatea barcode reading arrangement (126).
 18. The suspended conveyer deviceas claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the rerouting station (50)can be actuated on the basis of identifications of supports for goods tobe conveyed by means of the identification arrangement (124 or 126) forsupports for goods to be conveyed or identification arrangements (124,126) for supports for goods to be conveyed, the actuation of thererouting station possibly comprising actuation of the passage barrier(120 or 122) or of the passage barriers (120, 122) and possiblyactuation of the guide element (142) for supports for goods to beconveyed.
 19. The suspended conveyer device as claimed in one of claims1 to 18, characterized by at least one drop-off safeguard (110) in thearea of the rerouting station (50) against the supports (7) for goods tobe conveyed dropping off a relevant running rail path (52 or 56), forexample under the action of centrifugal forces and/or in the course ofthe release and/or production of a driving engagement with an associateddriver element (92 or 96 or 80).
 20. The suspended conveyer device asclaimed in claim 19, characterized in that the drop-off safeguardcomprises at least one safety rail (110) running along the running railpath at a defined distance from the latter.
 21. A rerouting station fora suspended conveyer device as claimed in one of the preceding claims,the rerouting station (50) being designed to selectively reroutesupports (7) for goods to be conveyed from a first conveyer path (54) toa second conveyer path (58) or leave them on the first conveyer path(54), and to selectively reroute supports (7) for goods to be conveyedfrom the second conveyer path (58) to the first conveyer path (54) or toleave them on the second conveyer path (58), and the rerouting station(50) comprising a first running rail path (60) associated with the firstconveyer path (54) and running continuously through the reroutingstation (50), and a second running rail path (62) that is associatedwith the second conveyer path (58) and runs continuously through thererouting station (50), whereby, of the first and the second runningrail path, one (60) is a running rail path associated with left runningrollers (17) and the other (62) is a running rail path associated withright running rollers (17), characterized in that the first conveyerpath (54) and the second conveyer path (58) in the rerouting station(50) run over a decision path which is common to these conveyer pathsand is associated with the first and the second running rail path or adecision location which is common to these conveyer paths and isassociated with the first and the second running rail path (FIG. 5), inthat in the rerouting station (50), in the area of the decision locationor within the decision path, the supports for goods to be conveyed arein actual or potential guiding engagement and, if appropriate,supporting and running-roller rolling engagement both with a firstrunning rail path (60) of the first conveyer path (54) and with a secondrunning rail path (62) of the second conveyer path (58), in that as theypass the decision path or the decision location, the supports for goodsto be conveyed can be selectively allocated to the first (54) or thesecond (58) conveyer path for further conveyance, and in that the firstrunning rail path (52) and the second running rail path (56) run towardeach other in a curved shape in the direction of the decision path orthe decision location and, in the area of the decision path or thedecision location, have a lateral spacing which leaves a common conveyerpath clearance free.
 22. The rerouting station as claimed in claim 21,characterized by the features of at least one of claims 2 to 20 whichrelate to the rerouting station (50).
 23. A method of combining and, ifappropriate, mixing at least two streams of goods by using a suspendedconveyer device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 20, in which a firststream of goods is supplied to the rerouting station (50) on a firstconveyer path (54), and a second stream of goods is supplied to thererouting station (50) on a second conveyer path (58), the streams ofgoods are combined, and, if appropriate, mixed in the rerouting station(50), and the resultant stream of goods is carried away from thererouting station (50) on the first (54) or the second (58) conveyerpath.
 24. A method of distributing the goods from at least one stream ofgoods to at least two resultant streams of goods, using a suspendedconveyer device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 20, in which, on atleast one conveyer path (first conveyer path (54) and/or second conveyerpath (58)), at least one stream of goods is supplied to the reroutingstation (50) and, in the rerouting station, the goods are selectivelyallocated to the first (54) or the second (58) conveyer path for furtherconveyance and, accordingly, are carried away from the rerouting station(50) on the first conveyer path (54) as a first resultant stream ofgoods and on the second conveyer path (58) as a second resultant streamof goods.
 25. The method as claimed in claim 24, characterized in thatthe goods from at least two streams of goods are distributed to at leasttwo resultant streams of goods, a first stream of goods being suppliedto the rerouting station (50) on the first conveyer path (54), and asecond stream of goods being supplied to the rerouting station (50) onthe second conveyer path (58).